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Author
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Topic: Astronauts' and other space workers nicknames
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Henry Heatherbank
Member Posts: 244
From: Adelaide, South Australia
Registered: Apr 2005
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posted 09-21-2005 05:44 PM
  
James van Hoften - "Ox"
George D Nelson - "Pinky" |
dss65
Member Posts: 1156
From: Sandpoint, ID, USA
Registered: Mar 2003
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posted 09-21-2005 09:28 PM
Cernan referred to John Young as "Cool John" in his description of the crew preparing for the launch of Apollo X. (In the same sentence, he called Stafford "Mumbles", a nickname noted earlier in this thread.) |
TRS
Member Posts: 721
From: Wellington, New Zealand
Registered: Mar 2003
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posted 09-22-2005 05:12 AM
I seem to recall a press interview where it was commented that one of Young and Crippen were supposed to have commented that if STS1 was delayed too much longer they'd have to change their names to "used" and "cripple"... I'll try and see if I can find the reference |
heng44
Member Posts: 3387
From: Netherlands
Registered: Nov 2001
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posted 09-22-2005 05:28 AM
"Old" (as opposed to Young) and "Cripple". |
Happy Proud Thrilled
Member Posts: 64
From: Bothell, WA
Registered: Mar 2005
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posted 09-22-2005 06:40 PM
I just read that Stu Roosa's nickname was Smokey. Is there a story behind that? Also have to mention "Big Al" Shepard, and "Little Al" Worden. |
Henry Heatherbank
Member Posts: 244
From: Adelaide, South Australia
Registered: Apr 2005
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posted 09-22-2005 08:38 PM
Roosa spent a part of his early 20s as a smoke-jumper, assisting forestry authorities with bush fires, hence the nickname I would suspect. |
MoonMan Jeff
Member Posts: 28
From: New York City
Registered: Dec 2004
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posted 10-14-2005 05:15 PM
Did Neil Armstrong have any nickname? Besides "first man on the moon" that is!And of course Charles Conrad's nickname was "Pete" on a semi-official basis. |
collshubby
Member Posts: 591
From: Madisonville, Louisiana
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 10-14-2005 07:51 PM
I am now reading Gen. Stafford's book "We Have Capture" and refers to John Young as "Jose." |
drifting to the right
Member Posts: 114
From: SW La.
Registered: Aug 2006
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posted 12-17-2012 06:28 PM
Forgive me, but I would like to resurrect this thread for perhaps a little fun. In my own modest autograph collection there is only one nickname,"Hoot" Gibson.Years ago I requested that Guenter Wendt sign as "Pad Fuhrer," but he, ever the gentleman, politely demurred, saying, "How about 'Pad Leader' instead?" My question to you is twofold: - Have any of you succeeded in obtaining nickname or call sign autographs?
- Which would be personally most desirable to you?
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Greggy_D
Member Posts: 977
From: Michigan
Registered: Jul 2006
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posted 12-17-2012 07:11 PM
Obviously "Ox" van Hoften, since most of his autographs are signed in that manner. |
Hart Sastrowardoyo
Member Posts: 3445
From: Toms River, NJ
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 12-17-2012 09:32 PM
George Nelson does sign autographs "Pinky Nelson." I do have a photo of him and I which is formally signed "George D. Nelson."And not a nickname but Katherine McArthur signs as "K. Megan McArthur," since she uses her middle name. (And obviously, do does Richard "Mike" Mullane.) |
ilbasso
Member Posts: 1522
From: Greensboro, NC USA
Registered: Feb 2006
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posted 12-18-2012 09:49 AM
Pete Conrad always signed as "Charles", although no one ever called him that. |
mjanovec
Member Posts: 3811
From: Midwest, USA
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted 12-18-2012 11:29 AM
quote:
Originally posted by ilbasso:
Pete Conrad always signed as "Charles", although no one ever called him that.
He often signed "Pete" for close friends and co-workers. |
streetsnake
Member Posts: 180
From: Ohio
Registered: Oct 2012
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posted 12-22-2012 05:22 PM
Rita Rapp was nicknamed "The Vampire" by the astronauts because of all the blood she took from them.  |
Hart Sastrowardoyo
Member Posts: 3445
From: Toms River, NJ
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 03-11-2013 09:16 PM
OK, anybody know why George Nelson is nicknamed Pinky? |
Delta7
Member Posts: 1505
From: Bluffton IN USA
Registered: Oct 2007
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posted 03-11-2013 10:38 PM
Others not mentioned yet that I've seen: - Moose Thornton
- "Superman" aka Mike Coats
- Trooper Runco
- Bluto Wolf
- Pepe Thuot
- Billy Bob Clervoy
- Taco Cockrell
- Roman Polansky
- Scorch Hobaugh
- Chunky Hurley
- Paco Lockhart
- Robo Wilson
- Wheels Wheelock
- Zambo Zamka
- "The Husker" Clay Anderson
- Bim Boe
- Bueno Good
- Komrade Bresnik
- Mash Dutton
- Bru Archambault
- Spanky Fincke
- Vegas Kelly
- Beamer Curbeam
- Bloomer Bloomfield
- Fergie Ferguson
- Billy O Oefelein
- Dex Poindexter
- Swanny Swanson
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Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 03-11-2013 10:50 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Hart Sastrowardoyo:
OK, anybody know why George Nelson is nicknamed Pinky?
From a 2009 interview with "The Western Front": I've had it since the day I was born because of my 'evil' father; I had red hair and a pink birthmark. |
Hart Sastrowardoyo
Member Posts: 3445
From: Toms River, NJ
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 03-11-2013 11:05 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Delta7:
Trooper Runco
Runco was a former NJ State Trooper. |
Delta7
Member Posts: 1505
From: Bluffton IN USA
Registered: Oct 2007
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posted 03-12-2013 08:48 AM
Add: - Bo Bobko
- Taz Chamitoff
- Hock Ham
- "Mighty Joe" Allen
- "Mom" Eileen Collins
- "L. A." aka Mike Lopez Alegria.
- Butch Wilmore
- "T.V." Terry Virts
- Mas Massimino.
- Chili Chilton
- Bakes (Mike) Baker
- Sam Gemar
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garymilgrom
Member Posts: 1966
From: Atlanta, GA
Registered: Feb 2007
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posted 03-12-2013 09:20 AM
Gunter was also known as Pad Leader (below). Richard Mullane is another astronaut who is known by his middle name (Mike). |
brianjbradley
Member Posts: 114
From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Dec 2010
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posted 03-12-2013 11:07 AM
- Tracy Caldwell - TC
- Jack Fischer - 2Fish
- Rick Sturckow - CJ
- Steve Lindsey - Pinto
- Kathy Thornton - KT
- James Wetherbee - Wexbee
Call signs that might be mission/crew specific only: - Steve Hawley - Cheetah (STS-41D)
- Mike Mullane - Tarzan (STS-41D)
- Judy Resnik - Jane (STS-41D)
- Blaine Hammond - Liquid Blaine-O (STS-64)
- Wendy Lawrence - Too Short (STS-86)
- Scott Parazynski - Too Tall (STS-86)
- Pam Melroy - Pambo (STS-120)
- George Zamka - Zambo (STS-120)
- Scott Parazynski - Longbo (STS-120)
- Stephanie Wilson - Robo (STS-120)
- Doug Wheelock - Flambo (STS-120)
- Paolo Nespoli - Rocky (STS-120)
- Dan Tani - Bo-ichi (STS-120)
- Garrett Reisman - Big G (STS-132)
- Mike Good - Bueno (STS-132)
- Piers Sellers - Epi (STS-132)
- Steve Bowen - Steve-O (STS-132)
+ the Dog crews
Sad but still nice to note: - Judy Resnik - JR
- Rick Husband - Ribs (This might have been USAF only)
- Dave Walker - Red Flash
- Janice Voss - JV
- Kalpana Chawla - KC
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p51
Member Posts: 1642
From: Olympia, WA
Registered: Sep 2011
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posted 03-12-2013 12:21 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Hart Sastrowardoyo:
...as well as the patches of the Dog Crews
Jerry Ross on the STS-88 "STEALTH" DOG CREW-III was called, "Hooch," a name he told me he wasn't too keen on and was thankful it didn't stick. I got the impression they gave him the name before he realized that Hooch dies at the end of the movie he was named after him. NOT a good omen! |
Delta7
Member Posts: 1505
From: Bluffton IN USA
Registered: Oct 2007
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posted 03-12-2013 12:56 PM
On a humorous aside, I recall a couple of gross mispronunciations/misspellings of Astronaut names by the media on early shuttle flights. - ABC's Frank Reynolds referring to Karol Bobko as "Astronaut Krol Borko". (He also referred to the shuttle's "Solid Rooket Bosters" on air so apparently was having an "off" day).
- A TV caption referring to Columbia's Capcom as "Astronaut Don Bragenstein".
There were a couple of others that escape me right now. |
Jay Chladek
Member Posts: 2272
From: Bellevue, NE, USA
Registered: Aug 2007
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posted 03-12-2013 11:41 PM
Pam Melroy of course is known as "Pambo" but she also has gone by "Tank Girl" since it is her favorite movie. |
David Carey
Member Posts: 782
From:
Registered: Mar 2009
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posted 03-13-2013 11:11 AM
Perhaps a one-off nickname, but "The Decal Kid" for Jim Lovell based on an A13 backup crew presentation. |
Rick
Member Posts: 379
From: Yadkinville, NC
Registered: Jun 2000
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posted 03-13-2013 12:04 PM
Don't forget "Uncle Milty" ... Milt Heflin! |
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